Duke star forward Cooper Flagg will miss Saturday’s ACC tournament game due to an ankle injury sustained during Thursday’s win over Georgia Tech. The freshman phenom, who has averaged nearly 19 points per game this season, suffered a sprained ankle but X-rays came back negative.
Flagg fell to the ground clutching his left ankle with 2:46 remaining in the first half of Thursday’s game and limped off the court on his own. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer confirmed that Flagg will not play in Friday’s semifinal against North Carolina, which he described as a “real long shot.”
Despite Flagg’s absence, the Blue Devils still managed to secure a 74-71 victory over North Carolina, advancing to the ACC title game on Saturday. The team will face the winner of the matchup between Clemson and Louisville.
Injury updates:
– Maliq Brown (junior forward) suffered a re-dislocated shoulder in Thursday’s win against Georgia Tech.
– Ven-Allen Lubin (North Carolina forward) was assessed for a late-game free throw attempt but had it waved off due to Jae-Lyn Withers’ early step-in.
Coach Scheyer expressed his commitment to having Flagg ready for the NCAA tournament next week. The Blue Devils will face the winner of Saturday’s title game at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/14/sport/cooper-flagg-a-long-shot-for-semifinal-after-injury-scare-spt/index.html